The Mystery of Esau and Ephraim

25 Ratties Cities – World’s most rat-infested cities. The USA has 8 of the top 10, or 16 of the top 25 of the Ratties Cities in the World.

Private Exterminator • March 27, 2024

It’s well-known that major cities are battling a significant rat issue. While some cities in the US are leading the pack, a number of European cities are also closely competing in this unwelcome race.

While studies show that there exist over 1,500 species of rodents, the most common and destructive of them are the black rat and the white rat.

These species pose a significant health risk as they carry disease-causing pathogens which can be transferred to humans through bites or food contamination.

Below, we look at the top 25 cities in the world with the worst rat infestation.

No.	City	Country	# Of Rats For Every 100 People
1	Chicago	USA	647
2	New York City	USA	400
3	Washington DC	USA	392
4	Boston	USA	328
5	Minneapolis	USA	322
6	Detroit	USA	312
7	Cleveland	USA	308
8	Bukit Batok	Singapore	301
9	San Fransisco	USA	290
10	London	UK	265
11	Atlanta	USA	258
12	Philadelphia	USA	257
13	Seattle	USA	253
14	Miami	USA	213
15	Johannesburg	South Africa	230
16	Hamelin	Germany	224
17	Los Angeles	USA	223
18	Denver	USA	220
19	Birmingham	UK	216
20	Baltimore	USA	200
21	Houston	USA	192
22	Paris	France	187
23	Guangzhou	China	143
24	Toronto	Canada	141
25	Deshnoke	India	136

World’s ‘rattiest’ cities

1. Chicago, Illinois, USA
Chicago has for a long time been crowned the ‘king of rats’ not just in the state of Illinois but the entire United States. While the state is trying its best to implement better pest control measures, the high rise in rat infestations is mainly attributed to the poor waste disposal in the area.

The cold of the winter months has also forced the rats to seek shelter in homes and offices where there is food and water.

2. New York City, USA
Right behind Chicago is the city that never sleeps, New York City. Due to its large population, the number of rats is also quite massive, giving the city dwellers sleepless nights.

With more than 21 million rats roaming in the sewers, streets, restaurants, abandoned and unabandoned buildings as well as parks and the subway, rat sightings across the city are estimated to have increased by more than 40% in 2021.

3. Washington D.C, USA
Being the capital of the United States, it’s only fair that the rats are fast making D.C their capital as well. In fact, 2021 was the worst year for Washington DC with the rodent complaints increasing by 26%.

4. Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Despite being among the top 25 cities with the most rats, Boston is among the few cities that recorded a drop in rat infestation. Over the past year, the city recorded a 10% drop in rodent sightings which should be great news for the residents.

Some of the neighborhoods that indicated the most drops in Boston include Allston, Beacon Hill, South Boston waterfront, Fenway, and West End.

Nevertheless, a few neighborhoods like Bay Village, South Boston, Mission Hill, Roxbury, and South End recorded spikes in rodent activity.

5. Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Like Boston, Minneapolis in Minnesota is another of the few cities that recorded a reduction in their rodent infestation in 2021. However, this doesn’t mean their rodent problem is gone.

The midwestern city is striving to control the number of sewer rats that have forced a significant rise in rodent complaints over the years.

6. Detroit, Michigan, USA
Over the past year, Detroit has performed relatively well compared to previous years when it comes to rat infestations.

According to the state’s health officials and the U.S Center for Disease Control (CDC), their problem with rats stems from human carelessness i.e., bad trash storage, and poorly maintained homes.

7. Cleveland, Ohio, USA
The home of rock and roll may have given us some of the best rockstars, but it’s still home to some of the largest rat infestations in the country.

The Ohio city has attributed that rise of rodents to the Coronavirus pandemic which has forced rodents into abnormally aggressive behavior as they look for food and shelter.

8. Bukit Batok New Town, Singapore
The rat infestation in Bukit Batok, Singapore, first came to light in 2014, when a resident posted a video online of a colony of rats.

The city’s administration attributed the infestation to the feeding of stray dogs which leave food bits around MRT stations, hence spurring the colony growth.

However, exterminators state that poor waste disposal in the fast-growing urban city is also a key contributing factor.

9. San Fransisco, California, USA
San Fransisco may be famous for its earthquakes, but its rodent problems are not far behind.

According to the San Fransisco department of public health, the problem is mainly caused by trash disposal issues, the increased tunneling project, and sewer floodings during the rainy season.

10. London, Great Britain
Even with the pandemic closing down businesses, restaurants, and hotels, it’s still a great time to be a rat in the UK.

Some exterminators claim that there are at least 20 million rats roaming around empty offices and homes looking for food and shelter. While these figures may seem slightly exaggerated, they are not far off.

According to the British Pest Control Association (BPCA), there was a 51% increase in rat reportings during the first UK lockdown in 2020, and a further 71% increase during the second wave of lockdown in November.

25. Deshnoke India – Karni Mata temple
From a population of 1.38 billion, India is known for many strange things. In fact, most people have come to terms with the fact that animal worship is practiced in some parts of India.

However, one thing you don’t hear every day is the worship of rats. Well, in a city called Deshnoke, there’s a temple, Karni Mata temple, full of revered rats and mice that some residents and devotees consider holy.

It’s estimated that there are at least 20,000 rats running around in this temple, fed by the worshippers. The rats have become a big tourist attraction site drawing thousands of visitors to the temple every year.

~ by Japheth on April 30, 2024.

Posted in India, US